Boat adapted to operate on land or in water.



Patented Sept. l2, I899.

J. P. BOULESOUE.

BOAT ADAPTED TO OPERATE UN LAND OR IN WATER.

(Application filed Apt. 22, 1899.)

3 Sheets Sheet (No Model.)

I l I 11 A TTOHNEYS.

"M m w W ms ncnms PETERS co. FNOTO-LITHO4 wasumn'mn, n. c.

Patented Sept. l2, I899.

J. P. BOULESUUE.

BOAT ADAPTED TO OPERATE 0N LAND 08 IN WATER.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1899.)

3 Sheets-.Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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' WITNESSES THE norms PEYERS on PNOTO-LITMO, WASHINGTON, u. c,

Patented Sept. I2, I899.

J. P. BOULESDUE.

BOAT ADAPTED TO OPERATE 0N LAND OR IN WATER.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 189

(tin Model.)

WITNESSES '0 ilivrrnn STATES PATENT @rrica.

JEAN PIERRE BOULESQUE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOAT ADAPTED TO OPERATE ON LAND OR IN WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,065, datedSeptember 12, 1899.

Application filed April 22, 1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

lle it known that I, JEAN PIERRE BOU- LESQUE, of the city of New York,borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New 5 York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Boats, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to so construct aboat that it may beutilized as a conveyance upon either land or water, and, furthermore, toprovide means for expeditiously and conveniently converting the boatinto such shape as to adapt it for use in traveling upon the landwhentaken out of the water, is and to provide means for preparing theboat for launching upon the water when it is no longer needed as aconveyance upon land.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the fuelor the mate- 2: rial adapted for use in connection with the motor may becompactly and abundantly stored in asmall compass and supplied to themotor whenever occasion may demand.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 2 vide a means for steeringthe boat when upon land, which steering apparatus is independent of therudder employed when the con veyance is used upon the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide aconvenient means ofmounting the boat upon wheels and of dismounting the boat therefrom.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts,

3 5 as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and

pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indi- 0cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved boat, illustrating. wheelsattached thereto enabling the boat to be drawn over the land andlikewise showing in dotted lines the runners 5 employed for launchingthe boat when the wheels have been removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of theboat, the supports for the fixed canopy being in horizontal section.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the boat. Fig. 4 is atransverse section through the boat, said section being taken near thestern and on the line 4 a in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is Serial No. 714,041. (Nomodel.)

a transverse section through the bow portion of the boat, illustratingthe manner in which a truck'is secured to the keel, the section being onthe line 5 5 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of one ofthe runners employed when the boat is to be launched.

A represents the hull of the boat, B the gunwale, and O a fixed orpermanent canopy, which is preferably made of a reticulated orperforated material in order to admit the greatest possible amount ofair to the occupant of the boat. The fixed canopy C is located at thestern of the boat and is attached to side and end beams 10, which intheir turn are supported by standards 11, and the forward standards areprovided with vertical slots 12, as shown in Fig. 4. The frame of thefixed canopy is braced by rods 13, that extend from standard tostandard, as is also shown in Fig. 4. Spud-axles 14 are hinged to theside beams 10 of the fixed canopy, and these spud-axles are adapted tocarry wheels 15,

intended to support the stern of the boat when said boat is to be usedas a land conveyance. When the spud-axles are not in use, they arefolded against the side beams 10, as shown in Fig. 1, and held inposition bya suitable lock 16.

A rudder 17 of the usual type is provided for the boat at the stern, andthe boatis likewise provided with a propeller shaft 18, mounted insuitable bearings 18, and a propeller 19 of any type is secured to theouter end of the propeller-shaft, the inner end of the propeller shaftbeing provided with a beveled gear 20.

In connection with the fixed canopy a movable canopyG is providedadapted to cover the bow portion of the vessel. C is sustained by aframe D, which frame is provided at its bow end with a standard 21, heldto slide in a guide 22, secured within the hull, and a set-screw 23 isemployed to hold the standard in position in the guide. The frame D issupported at the sides by a series of rods 24,that are hinged to thegunwale of the vessel,the upper ends of which rods are adapted forengagement with the under surface of the frame D. A cord 25 is securedto each set of rods 24 at the top portion of said rods, and these cordspass over pulleys 26, attached to the forward standards 11 of the fixedcan- This canopy opy, and said cords 25 lead toward the stern V to anengagement with a drum 27, as shown in Fig. 2. The sternward ends of theframe D are provided with pins or reduced sections 38, adapted to slidein the grooves or slots 12 in the forward standards of the fixed canopy,50 that the frame D may be raised and lowered, as desired, and prior todropping the frame D the canopy C sustained thereby is slipped beneaththe fixed canopy resting on the cross-bars 13. Springs 28 are secured tothe bow-rods 24 and to the frame I), the said springs tending normallyto draw the hinged rods 21 downward upon the guuwale,

as shown in Fig. 3.

Near the stern of the vessel a drive-shaft 29 is mounted in suitablebearings, and the ends of said shaft are extended beyond the sides ofthe hull, and are made polygonal to receive the hubs of thesupporting-wheels 15, heretofore referred to, and the shaft 29 is driventhrough the medium of a motor 30, preferably a compressed-air motor, theshaft of which is provided with a pinion 31, that meshes with a gear 32on the drive-shaft. This gear 32 meshes with a pinion 33 upon a drivenshaft 33, mounted in bearings 35, and the driven shaft 33 is providedwith a beveled gear 3%, that meshes with the bevel pinion or gear 20 onthe propeller-shaft, which latter gear is adjustably mounted on itsshaft in any approved manner. Thus when the boat is to be used as a landconveyance the gear 20 is carried out of mesh with the gear 34:, but thedrive-shaft is at all times driven by the motor 30.

A strap-brake is provided for the driveshaft. This strap-brakepreferably consists of a peripherally-grooved disk 36, secured on theshaft, and a metal strap 37 ,which is passed into the grooved portion ofthe disk, having one end secured to a fixed support and the otherend toa lever 38.

A series of air-storage tubes 39 and 40, made of rubber and eachinclosed in an inextensible casing, such as cloth, is arranged at thestern and at the bow portion of the vessel within the hull thereof, andthese storagetubes for air are connected each by an independent pipe 42with a supply-pipe 4l,and this supply-pipe 41 is connected by a valvedpipe 41 with the motor 30. Each pipe connecting the storage-compartments39 and 40 with the supply pipe or chamber 41 is provided with a valve43, adapted to receive an air-pump and a cut-off valve 44, as shown inFig. 2. Thus a large quantity of stored power may be carried in thevessel and supplied to the motor as occasion may demand.

The bow of the vessel is supported by a truck E. This truck consists ofa bolster 45, axle 46, small Wheels 47, mounted on the axle, a spring48, mounted upon the bolster, anda clamp 49, pivoted upon the spring, asshown in Fig. 5. The clamp 49 is arranged to receive the keel of thevessel and is attached to the keel by a pin 50, or equivalent means. A

segmental rack 51 is attached to the spring 48 the rack 51 to move tothe right or toy the left,

and thus effect the steering of the device when it is used as a landconveyance.

When the wheels are to be removed from the vessel and the vessel is tobe launched, the hull is jacked up by any suitable appliance and runners59 are substituted for the wheels. Each runner 59 is provided with aforward hinged upright 60 and a rear hinged upright 61, the forwardupright 60 having a reduced section 60 at its top, and these sections 60of the runners are adapted to enter eyes 64:, located at the outside ofthe vessels hull, while the rear uprights 61 have straps 61' attached,so that the ends of the drive-shaft 29 can be received between the upperends of the uprights 61 and straps 61. The uprights are held inperpendicular position by braces 62, hinged to the runners, and arrangedto enter loops 63 on the said uprights near the top.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the hull of a vessel and adriving-shaft having its endsadapted to receive supporting-wheels, atruck detachably connected with the forward portion of the boat, and asteering device for the truck, of a propeller-shaft in adjustable gearconnection with the drive shaft, a motor geared to the drive-shaft,storage-chambers for power, a supply chamber, independent connectionbetween the supply-chamber and storage-chambers, and a connectionbetween the supply-chamber and motor, for the purpose specified.

2. In a boat, a drive-shaft having its ends prepared to receivesupporting -wheels, a

wheeled truck, and means, substantially as 7 wheeled truck to the keelof the boat, and

steering devices for the truck.

4:. In a boat, a drive-shaft having its ends adapted to receivesupportingwheels, a propeller detachably connected with the driveshaft,a wheeled truck, means for attaching y the wheeled truck to the keel ofa vessel, means for steering the truck and a rudder or equivalentsteering device for the vessel, as specified. V

5. In a boat, a drive-shaft, detachable supporting-Wheels for saidshaft, a propeller, a runners attachable to said boat and having gearingfor the propeller, means for driving hinged posts at each end,.one setof posts bethe said gearing from the said shaft, means ing adapted whenraised to enter the ears, for bringing the said gearing into and out ofand the other set of posts having a strap or 5 driving connection withthe said shaft, a debar thereon adapted to embrace the shaft or I5tachable wheeled truck for the bow of the axle, and braces connectingposts and runner.

boat, and a steering mechanism for the said JEAN PIERRE BOULESQUE.truck. lVitnesses:

6. A boat having projecting ears near one JOHN LOTTA,

1 0 end and a projecting shaft or axle at the other, EVERARD BOLTONMARSHALL,

